Aussie Dean Thomas starts the double race sixth round of the THINK! British

SUperbike Championship at Thruxton from pole position, having smashed a

third of a second off the lap record.

Riding the Sendo Dienza Ducati, he put in a best lap of 1m 15.592s, to top

the leaderboard for the first time: "I'm delighted, having been so close in

the last two or three rounds, only to be beaten in the final seconds of the

session - now, I have to do it in the races."

Sean Emmett, riding the MonsterMob Ducati starts alongside him, though his

second place was by just 0.001 second ahead of the title chasing HM Plant

Honda rider Michael Rutter, who lapped in a time of 1m 15.679s.

Rutter is feeling good for the races. "My victory last time out Mondello

was a great confidence booster and I intend to carry on here in the same

way, pegging back points on John Reynolds - I want the title."

He goes into the races 33 points down on series leading Reynolds, with the

Rizla Suzuki rider fourth fastest and at his most determined. He has

finished each of the previous four races in second place. "I have to do

something about that - I am here to win races." Reynolds is chasing a

third title.

The Hawk Kawasaki duo Glen Richards and Scott Smart, the winner of the

first race in Ireland in the previous round, heading the second row, along

with Spaniard Gregorio Lavilla, seventh fastest, as he deputises for

Suzuki's injured Yukio Kagayama. And, the sport's super-sub, James Haydon,

was just adrift aboard the Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha.

ends